Portable apparatus for liquefying and purifying sewage.



PATENTET) JAN. 7, 1908.

F. J. OOMMIN. E APPARATUS FOR LIQUEPYING A ND PURIFYING SEWAGE. 25,1906.

PORTABL 2 SHEETSSHEET 1.

APPLICATION FILED JAN.

LVIZl VES PATENTED JAN. '7, 1908.

F. J. OOMMIN. E APPARATUS FOR PORTABL LIQUEFYING AND PURIPYING SEWAGE.

APPLICATION FILED JAN 25, 1906.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

UNITED STATES PATENT onnron.

["Etiilll-TRICK JAMES COMMIN, OF EXETER, ENGLAND, ASSIGNOR TO CAMERON SEPTIC TANK COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS.

PORTABLE APPARATUS FOR LIQUEFYING AND PURIFYING'SEWAGE.

Specification of Letters latent.

Patented Jan. '7, 1908.

Application filed January 25. 1906. Serial No. 297.890.

.To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FR DERICK JAMEs COMMIN, a subject of the King of Great Britain, and a resident of Exeter, in the county of Devon, England, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Purifying Apparatus for House Drainage, of which the following is a specification.

The object of the invention is to provide for isolated plants a simple, complete and efficient apparatus which will utilize or approximate, to a' more or less practical degree, the septic system of purification. To this end the primary treating tank which ordinarily serves the purpose of a macerating tank, is provided with carefully devised nondisturbing inlets and nondisturbing outlets which enable it to perform to a more orles s practical degree the functions of a septic tank in which anaerobic liquefaction takes lace among the solids of the drainage. urther, the secondary tank which receives the liquid effluent from the primary tank is provided with means for increased aeration and aerobic bacterial action. Further, the tanks are preferably portable and so constructed as to-be nestable for transportation and separable for installation.

In theembodiment shown in the accompanying drawings Figure 1 represents a vertical section of a complete apparatus set up in position ready for use. Fig. 2 represents theprimary tank in horizontal section on line .22 of Fig. 1 and the secondary filter tank in plan. Fig. 3 represents a vertical section through'the filter tank taken at right angles toFig. 1 and showing the upper part of the primary tank in elevation. Fig. 4 re re-' sents an enlargedsectional view of a agment of one of the filter trays.

The same reference characters indicate corresponding parts in all the figures.

1 The apparatus shown comprises in its preferred form a primary treating tank 1 and an aerating filter tank 10, these tanks being preferably soconstructed relatively as to be nestable for transportation and separable for use, being disposed adjacent to each Er-iurbing outlet, with the object of prevent-- ing as far as practicable interference, by the drainage flowing through the tank, with the accumulation and operation of amass of anaerobic bacteria in the pool of sewage within the tank, and with a view of permitting the formationof a thick scum on the top of said pool and avoiding as far as practicable the breakage thereof. The inlet is rendered nondisturbing by having a submerged discharge orifice and the outlet is rendered non disturbing -by having a submerged mouth,

preferably more or less expanded, and shields or guards are preferably used in front of the inlet and in front of the outlet for'further reducing the tendency of the flowing current to agitate the pool.

The nondisturbing. inlet shown comprises an inlet opening 2 in the wall of the tank near the top thereof adapted to be connected with a pipe or conduit tln'ough which the drainage to be treated is conveyed and a channel 3 communicating with said opening and extending above and below it. The lower end 4 which constitutes the discharge orifice of this channel is considerably below the normal water-line of the tank, thus aifording'a submerged inlet foixthe inflowing drainage. The channel 3 is preferably open at its upper end 5 above the normal water-line to facilitate cleaning.

The nondisturbing outlet of the primary treating tank is preferably disposed opposite the nondisturbing inlet thereof. In the example shown said outlet comprises a lateral outlet opening'7 on the normal water-line of the tank and a broad outlet channel 25 leading to said outlet opening from a point within the tank below said normal water-line. This channel may be formed between the wall of the tank and a shield 6 disposed therein. This shield preferably arc-shaped in horizontal section covers a large ortion of the inner circumference ofthe tan and extends considerably above and considerably below the nor mal water-line thereof, and its lower edge is preferably bent towards the wall of the tank forming a long and narrow mouth 25 for the channel 25. This outlet opening 7 may be provided with a lateral spout 7 disposed on the outside of the tank adjacent to said opening for delivering the effluent from the primary treating tank to the filter tank 10 when they are disposed side by side. The channel 25 is provided near its top above the outlet opening 7 with a supplemental outlet opening 26 through the wall of the tank opposite the upper end of the plate 6. A hood 27 dis posed outside the primary treating tank directs the outflow through said supplemental opening into the lateral spout 7. In case of a sud den inrush of sewage filling the priinar treating tank above the normal water-line thereof, the surplus will escape through this supplementary outlet 26. The primary treatingtank is preferabb provided with a shield partition plate 3 disposed between the discharge 4 of the inlet and the mouth 25 of the outlet so as to break the rush of the in flow and guard against disturbance of the liquid within the tank and breakage of the scum thereon. The cover 9 ma be dis pensed with if desired as the scum which is formed on the liquid will exclude lightand air therefrom.

The aerating filter tank comprises an on t-er casing 10 and an inner perforated casing 18 smaller than the casing 10, said inner casing 18 being disposed in the outer casing 10 in such manner as to form a ventilating air passage 19 between them, which passage is open to the atmosphere at the top of the tank. This aerating'filter tank is open at its top and provided near its bottom with an opening 17through which the purified drainage flows out. The inner casing 18 of the aeratmg filter is provided with a series of preierably removable perforated plates or trays 2O pose.

disposed one below another, the lowermost tray constituting the'bottom of said casing. These plates are preferably divided diametrically and supported at their adjacent edg on cross bars 28 which are also preferabl removable. These tray's or diaphragins support successive layers or beds of filtering material as 21 and 22 disposed one underanother With air spaces between them, said air spaces communicating with the air passage 10. top layer 21 is preferably of iiner grain than the succeeding layers to prevent the too rapid. passage of the liquid therethrough. tering material may be composed of slag,

coke or other material adapted for the pur- 5 These trays or plates are prrfeinbly provided with bosses 23 on their undersides trickles.

opposite the perforations, each boss having a perforation 2-3 through which the elilur-nt These bosses prevent the drops from the different holes or perforations from adhering" to the under surface of the tra and siiding along and joining one another, which would interfere with the miform distril utie-n of the liquid.

Ii distributer is mounted at the top of the aerating tank and. is preferablv composed of a pivoted diverter l 1 provided with trunnions at its opposite ends whirh turn in bearings of lugs 12 supported 'on a (I'oss bar 13 Within the casing 18 near the top thereof. This diverter is divided longitmlinally by a partition 14 so as to form two poekets l5 and The lil-- a single pal-knee.

in Figs. 1 and 2 the drainage llowing Hi into which the 'eliiuent from the'primar tank is alternatelydolirei -d from the point of the spoul T. The di.

down, th pocket 15 is then in position to reeeii'e the stream of drainage from the spout 7 or other means of delivery. As the pocket 15 is iilled the weight of the liquid therein overbalahoes the opposite unfilled pocket 16 and causes the diverter to tilt whereby the pocket 13 is thrown down and diseharges its (ontents onto the iilter bed and the pocket 16 is thrown up into position to receive liquid from the spout, and when the poeket H5 is lilled the weight of the liquid reverses the diverier and the operation is repeated; the diverter thus distributing the diluent lirst from one pocket and then from the other onto opposite sides of the upper layer 21 of filtering material, whence it drips through to the next layer beneath and so on The diverter is ro-nded somewhat in routour to correspond ap roxiimttely with the contour of the casing t l'arilitatea uniform distribution over the entire surface of. the filtering material therein.

The tanks l-and ll) are preferably roustrurted so that they may be nested logeiheu and the distributer l i. trays 2t) and supports therefor. may be parked within the tank ll) so that the entire apparatus for an installation is sell l'ontniimi and may be shipped in When the apparatus is installed for use as through the primary tank is lioueiiedirv the mass ol anaerobie bni-leria ailowed lo ari-umulate therein and the liquid atliueui from said primary tank is further purilied by exposure to light and uirand aerobie barteria in passing to the lilter tank or to and through the distributor thereon and is also further purilied by both the 21(31Oi i(' bacterial action and ll: 'll2llil 2il filtration in passing through the sm't'essive layers of filtering material conned in said iilter tank. The air passage .1 9 open at its top to the atmosphere and the spaces between the lilter beds roinmunirating with said passage ronstitute means for the i'irrUlai'ion of air through the several suwessire la ers of 'liltering material, whereby aerobic barterial action is stinu'llated.

l claim as my invention:

l. A portable apparatus )1 the treatment of drainage roluprising primary treating and 1' ilter tanks nestable for transportation and separable forinstallation; the. primary treating tank having a nondisturbing inlet and a nondisturhing outlet, and the lilter tank eon'iprising an outer easing having a low outseparable for installation; the primary treatmg tank having a nondisturbing inlet and a nondisturbmg outlet, and the filter tank i comprising inner and'outer casings disposed one within the other and forming a ventilating air passage between then), said inner casing being provided with movable trays for supporting separate layers of filtering material one below another.

'3. An apparatus for the treatment of drainage comprising a portable primary treating tank having a nondisturbing inlet and a nondisturbing outlet, and a filter tank comprising inner and outer casings disposed one within the other and forming a ventilating air passage between them; said inner casing being provided with movable trays for supporting separate layers of filtering mate rial one below another, the walls of said inner casing having perforations connecting the spaces between'the trays with said air passage between the casings.

' 4. A tank for the treatment of house drainage provided with a nondisturbing inlet com prising a lateral inlet opening and a channel extending below and above said opening and communicating therewith, said channel being open at its top and bottom.

,5. A septic tank for the treatment of drainage provided with a nondisturbingoutlet comprising an outlet channel extending above and below the normal water-line of the tank and having its receiving mouth below said normal water-line, an outlet opening communicating with said channel at said normal water-line, and a supplementary outlet opening communicating with said channel above said water-line.

6. A tank for the treatment of'drainage or sewage provided with a nondisturbing outlet comprising an outlet channel extending above and below the normal water-line of the tank and having a widely expanded mouth below said normal water-line, and an outlet opening communicating with said channel at said normal water-line, and a supplementary outlet opening communicating with said channel above said Water-line.

7. A filter tank for use in the treatment of drainage or sewage comprising inner and outer casings disposed one within the other and forming between them aventilatmg a1rpassage open at the top and bottom of said tank, and perforated trays disposed within said inner casing for support-ing separable layers of filtering material one below another, said inner casing having perforations connecting the spaces between the trays with the air passage between the casings.

8. A filter tank for use in the treatment of drainage or sewage comprising inner and outer casings disposed one within theother and forming between them a ventilating air passage open at the top of said tank and per forated trays disposed Within said inner casing for supporting separate layers of filtering material one below another,- a tray above being provided with drip projections for con trolling the distribution to a tray below, said inner casing having perforations connecting the spaces between the trays with the air passage between the casings.

9. The combination of a tankfor the treatment of drainage or sewage, and a filter tank comprising inner and outer casings disposed one within the other and forming a ventilating air passage between them; said inner casing being rovided with movable perforated trays or supportin separate layers of filtering material'one be 0w another, the walls of said casing having perforations connecting the spaces between the trays with said air passage between the casings.

FREDK. JAMES COMMIN \Vitnesses:

EUsTAon H1 BARKER, JOHN J. NEWPORT. 

